


ragtime pal of the lone ranger

by opanimeboy



Category: Ensemble Stars! (Video Game)
Genre: Billiards Pt. II, Dialogue Heavy, M/M, Pre-Slash, Unreliable Narrator, madara observation from kaoru's pov!, they like each other i promise they just .. gotta get there
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-14
Updated: 2019-07-14
Packaged: 2020-06-28 06:38:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,347
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19806757
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/opanimeboy/pseuds/opanimeboy
Summary: Another case where Kaoru discovers just how lonely strength is.Madara's got issues letting people in and Kaoru's only tried to get out of things, so it's a work in progress for them both.Friendship, that is.---Work for the first round of the Ensemble Stars Shipping Olympics on Twitter!





	ragtime pal of the lone ranger

**Author's Note:**

> ESO MADAKAO! EDITING..NOW! THANK YOU FOR MY TEAMMATES FOR BASICALLY BETA-ING AND GETTIN ME THRU THIS!!!
> 
> alt. summary: 2 fools learning how to properly convey their emotions and be considerate of others in the right way!
> 
> inspired quote:  
> "I wish everyone would grow stronger.
> 
> In the end, I tend to always monopolize everything, but. I really, truly love sharing with someone else far more." - Mama in Concerto Epilogue 1
> 
> "His stats as a human are too high. That can also cause him suffering—and I understand that pain." - Leo in Concerto Epilogue 2
> 
> these two hurt me hahahaha!!!
> 
> see you at the end, space cowboy (c)….

[I wanted to be stronger](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_c_n0A3BFVE)

[I wanted to be everything for you](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_c_n0A3BFVE)

[If I could be stronger would you believe](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_c_n0A3BFVE)

[That I could love you like you want me to?](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_c_n0A3BFVE)

* * *

Madara doesn’t fiddle with anything.

Kaoru wasn’t a fantastic student in the idol course with his shoddy unit practice, but he was a better student - not to say he was a decent student. His class was the only place that got him as a usual only because, contrary to belief, he wanted to graduate. Showing up late is better than never! Plus, he would never hear the end of it from his dad if he skipped _too_ much.

Attending school was well and all, and his grades were passing, but there were always stale moments. Those collective minutes were the reason he knew Chiaki tapped his foot annoyingly loud, and Izumi found the universe's secrets in his manicured nails. That’s when he would blankly watch Keito diligently take notes, occasionally taking much longer refilling the lead in every single pencil he owned. He watched Eichi every so often, but his quirk was that he would watch back; dazing out of the window was the alternative, but the glass was reflective and his blue eyes too clear. Very shoujo-esque if anyone were to ask Kaoru, but he’d also laugh at the irony of the most thoughtful character in his class being the school tyrant.

Of course, there was usually Madara’s empty seat. 

By the end of the first semester, Kaoru was able to count how many times he’d come to class. It’s not like he was trying to remember a guy’s schedule, but it was noticeable. Heck - the few times that Madara _did_ attend, he had to take a phone call and didn’t return. Before he left, some nosy part of Kaoru’s brain took stock of the enigma that was the very large, very present yet very absent busy man. 

After watching him for long enough, Kaoru noticed that Madara had two default positions. His first was to sit straight and not wiggle, not look around, and not even take notes. The other, if the day called for it, was to recline in his seat, posture screaming "nonchalant", yet "Don't talk to me."

  
There was _no_ way those chairs could be comfortable, but Madara still found a way to make it look like a custom-made throne.

It was bound to be an intimidation tactic; Rei conducted himself in a similar manner with the whole vampire spiel and his overbearing acting; the lounging in his coffin or manspreading when authority figures walked by him were only a few of his tricks. What was the point of it all? Madara was plenty intimidating already, and Rei had only been intimidating to Kaoru before he'd gotten a centimeter more familiar with him, seemingly more helpless than anything nowadays. Kaoru didn’t understand, but maybe he wasn’t supposed to. Maybe he didn’t need to.

“Hakaze, stop tapping your pencil.” 

“Huh? O-oh, sorry…”

* * *

Everyone in 3A had changed by the end of the year. Yumenosaki was different and everyone had grown. Not to toot his own horn, but he had not only survived a revolution but flourished once everything was said and done. He was close to figuring out the path he wanted to take in life. He had people who he cared for - more than flings of the opposite sex, which was entirely new in his seventeen years - and people who cared for him.

Classes were still a thing, though.

The blank stares of restless young adults continued, and so did the fidgeting. However, Madara's attendance had lost its absent gaps deeper into the year and Kaoru didn't need to further concern himself with his attention towards a dude. He had much more to be concerned about-- like the dude himself.

Soon after he’d noticed just how still Madara was at the beginning of the year, they had that day out with Anzu and their club underclassmen playing billiards. He had gotten a taste of just what Madara was made of, but no clue or desire to see how the man ticked. Madara Mikejima was loud, abrasive, cheeky, overly familiar, manly, and good at playing pool. If Kaoru had to categorize what those characteristics meant to him, he'd have to say…

Madara was alright.

He was just as noisy as Chiaki, equally as blunt as Izumi at times, much more impolite than Souma-kun, and very much like Kanata and Rei - two people who they both held in high regard. Kaoru had come a long way, and he was okay with putting a name to his withstanding relationships.

Friends. No homo.

Kaoru didn't have much to do with Madara, but he respected him as a man and an idol. He was also familiar with having a harsh reputation, so maybe that made Kaoru a little more sympathetic to the guy who had offered his chest to him once. Jokingly, of course.

Was Madara his friend?

Kaoru didn’t know. He hadn’t put too much thought into it throughout the year, and he hadn’t picked up that line of thought when the aquarium fiasco went on - too preoccupied with Kanata’s home troubles. He was struck with the reality that they were childhood friends through proximity, and whatever Kanata was ailed with probably wasn’t too different from Madara, but Madara seemed so...impenetrable. He was helping Kanata, after all - and was renowned for his dependability. 

There was no way that Kaoru could imagine Madara going through family troubles like Kanata’s or his, but that attested for just how closed off his world was. Or maybe that really was something he just wasn’t able to understand when it came to Madara or his relationship with the Shinkai household - Kanata included.

After working closely with him on stage with the Marine Life club, Rei and Hibiki-kun, and _dolphins_ \- he could at least identify Madara as an acquaintance. Plus, they were classmates. Both showed up to class much more than they did in the past, and they’d sometimes share passing conversations before lecture started. Kaoru’s impression of him stayed fairly linear with Madara’s friendly, reserved chatter, and it would have continued like that if Kaoru didn’t slip up.

“Wow, you scored really high in that last test, Kaoru-san! You take things pretty seriously! That’s a very attractive trait; you must capture all the ladies’ hearts right beside Rei-san, huh? Ahahaha!” Madara said while laying back so far in his chair that just looking at the guy made Kaoru’s back hurt.

“I don’t need to hear that from you. Can’t I say the same for you? You’re always one of the top scorers in class _and_ in the grade, despite practically missing the beginning of the year.”

Kaoru was surprised to see a similar look of confusion on Madara’s face. “How observant! I mentioned Rei-san, but I forgot that you’re his right-hand man now. Of course you’d be interesting. It takes me back...why, when I was your age--”

Almost offended that Madara didn't expect more of him than just being Rei's lackey, Kaoru didn't have time to retort before shutting down Madara's bad old person joke. “Ugh, please do not. I’ll get more than enough of that at lunch.”

“Ahahaha! My apologies, Kaoru-san. Shall I reverently bow to earn back my favor with you?”

Did that mean Madara already had it in the first place? “Don’t do anything weird. Class is about to start.

“...I might have something you could do that’d make me happy,” said Kaoru, but the expression he got in response made his stomach curdle, instant regret setting in.

Time slowed like every shoujo Kaoru had ever read, and that made it ten times worse than what he was about to get himself into. He blinked and in the span of that second, it felt like a turning point; he was in the tense moment on stage when all eyes were on him, or when he stepped up to take his turn when playing-

“Billiards-- at my parlor. Maybe I’ll forgive you if you come to my terf. I definitely won’t lose to you this time, Mikejima-kun.~”

Kaoru could not possibly begin to comprehend what Madara’s reaction fully meant. It was too toothy, too animalistic, too...pleased. He looked _way_ too pleased.

“Another game, Kaoru-san? How fun! I’d do anything to make a dear friend happy! Would after school work for you?”

“Yeah. I’ll pick you up at the front gates.” In that instance, one of Kaoru’s eyes closed conspiratorially. Madara’s grin widened even though Kaoru was sure that was _physically impossible_ , and he winked back. 

If Kaoru understood anything or had the capacity to ever comprehend anything ever again, he sure as hell would want to know what had possessed him in that moment.

* * *

They walked side by side to the underground live house, waited until the evening when the floor became a sophisticated bar and adult war ground, and ate a light dinner together. Through it all, they had peaceful banter and a nice stroll down the road despite Kaoru feeling like he’d swallowed rocks.

Rather than rocks, it was more the reality of what Kaoru had done and what he was doing with Madara that he had to swallow. Yes, Kaoru Hakaze had grown enough to become a friend. He had stopped leaving a string of broken hearts behind. He had sorted out his affairs enough to figure out that platonic companionship was _okay_ . It turned out that _he_ was the weird one for pushing everyone away, and he got that now.

What he didn't get was how his mind had synced up to his mouth in such a wrong way to ask Madara Mikejima out on a _date._ They were totally on a date. And just after Madara confirmed that he thought of Kaoru as a friend. Of course - that could be Madara being too chummy per usual and using flimsy words to get something like entertainment out of Kaoru, but for some reason...Kaoru didn't think that was his intention. Madara wasn't malicious, right?

Were they friends? Were they on a date?

"Kaoru-san - it looks like the game is starting soon and your thoughts are starting to boil over! Take a break from staring at Mama, yeah?"

Like being slapped out of his reverie, Kaoru jerked back and bumped his head on the wall behind him. He glared at Madara who was laughing at him.

"Don't be mean. I'm just mentally preparing myself."

"I thought you played well, but you still get nerves, huh? That's so cute-- ahaha!"

"You of all people should know not to take me lightly here.~ Think of it more like a pro getting their head in the game. Besides, you were fiddling with your cue plenty. Need me to cheer you on, _Mikejima-san_?"

With the same smile usually gracing his face, Madara definitely gave him a sharp look, but Kaoru was too concerned with when he'd noticed that Madara _fidgeted_. He didn't think he was observing the other boy, but evidently his eyes had been on him this whole time. Definitely a top ten embarrassing moment.

It hadn’t been nerves making the bigger man twiddle his thumbs; they'd gotten there early enough to have first pick, and Madara had no shame holding up each stick and feeling them over. He had ran his fingers over them all to familiarize himself. Just like a professional.

Whatever he saw changed in an instant and he laughed loudly, earning the attention of other patrons. Kaoru grimaced and was only further chagrined when a large hand clapped his shoulder.

"Only if I can cheer you on too, _Kaoru-kun_!"

Shrugging off Madara, Kaoru replied "I'd never say no to some extra support. Let's do our best and play fair, okay?"

If Madara's boisterous grin lessened, or _softened_ \- Kaoru didn't notice.

The game started and the tense atmosphere tried to be casual. Playing nice with the enemies wasn't necessary, but Kaoru was a regular and was obligated to greet old faces while Madara was just his usual self: cocky. It was easy to get into it, and fun when he'd hit the objectives just right and hear a groan or grumble from the older patrons watching the two's battle.

It was even kind of fun with Madara dominating the scene. It was not as fun when he'd pointedly look at Kaoru after a good turn. The smugness of it had Kaoru hit too hard a few times, but it made it more difficult for others and Kaoru was one to take any wins.

Everyone else in the room was gray compared to Madara. He was one of the biggest people in the room in height and stature. When it was his turn, everyone was forced to watch him coil up and play like it was no big deal. His precise tactics, his posture, and the ease in which he breathed success was no big deal. Him being the best was no big deal. Kaoru and most of the men here were good, but he was better. He knew it. They knew it.

For some illogical reason that he could not fathom and made the rocks in his stomach return, Kaoru felt bad for him.

The silence or protests when Kaoru got the short end of the stick was overwhelming, but he kept his cheshire demeanor throughout the two games. The margin between first and second place was too significant. When the final ball made its mark on Madara’s turn in both games and he’d won again, Kaoru cut through the palpable frustration of everyone.

“Good job, Mikejima-kun! Whew -- it’s kind of stuffy in here, huh? Do you wanna step outside with me for a sec?”

For all of his observation of Madara, he wasn’t familiar with the passing shadow on his face. Kaoru was washed over with loneliness. It passed just as fast as Madara pulled up a look that screamed “challenge.” 

“Of course! I’ll lend you my shoulder to cry on any time, Kaoru-san!”

 _Annoyance_ was more the feeling that Kaoru was experiencing.

He didn’t bother replying after, so Madara led him out which only added to the sudden irritation; this area and building was much more his in more ways than familiarity, but that didn’t matter if Madara owned the world, huh. They walked out to the side of the building for privacy, and Kaoru rubbed his arms. It was still the season for the winter uniform, but it didn’t do much to protect him from the evening air. In the time that he took to feel cold and try to warm up, Madara stared at him.

“A good job to you, Kaoru-san! You did really well this time, but it must have been difficult with more people watching.”

“Thanks, I guess. You really didn’t pull any stops this time, but I did have fun.”

“Would you have liked me to go easier on you? I’ve wanted to see the so called ‘semi-professionals’ you told me about all year, but they’ll never get anywhere if they can’t get passed me!~”

“Wow, that was rude! You’ve never heard the saying ‘there’s always someone better than you?’”

Madara cocked his head inquisitively, and Kaoru followed the motion. What he’d just said -- _Madara_ was that “someone.” Kaoru’s bad for trying to lecture the notorious festival man; the guy who fit into such a flashy place aside from the norm with no worries of the common folk.

“Did you at least have fun?” Kaoru sighed. 

The silent pause where Madara had to think about his answer, jokingly or not, was the tipping point for whatever upset feeling making Kaoru itchy and red in the face.

Madara opened his mouth to probably say something witty and agreeable, but Kaoru cut him off. “I think I deserve the truth. Did you actually enjoy yourself, Mikejima-kun?”

Kaoru would say he was getting sick of all the unreadable expressions from the other boy, but his anger was sapped out with what he last said. He just felt bad for making Madara show whatever raw part of him that he was showing. He looked...disappointed.

“Did I upset you, Kaoru-san? I will humbly apologize as much as I need!”

Exhausted. Kaoru was exhausted when he replied “No, it’s not-- you didn’t _do_ anything. I just got a little overwhelmed in there with so many eyes watching our rematch. Rare, but not too out of the ordinary for our line of work, huh.”

“I am sorry that I couldn’t shield you better from the vibes in there! You must have tough skin, but any talented child can get stage fright every once in awhile!”

“Child?”

For someone who did everything right, Madara was a pro at saying everything wrong. Rogue, indeed. He still stood just as straight and unyielding as he did in class through it all.

It turns out, as stupidly poetic it might be, that Kaoru’s feelings were just like in the shoujo stories. He had worked himself up into a fire, burnt himself out, and the reason for these whirlwind of emotions almost physically just relit his fury. Another blink of his eye and he thought of the frowns inside the live house building, probably weirded out by Kaoru being thoroughly owned despite being on their level. He recalled Rei’s frown that he’d become accustomed to earlier in the year when Kaoru would always brush him off. And when he remembered his sister leaving the house for the first time, shooting him and their older brother a wobbly smile, Kaoru extinguished himself.

Did Madara get stage-fright?

That was still the wrong question. Of course Madara wouldn’t enjoy the jeers and distrust from strangers. Yeah, he was a show-off and attention was what he thrived off, but negativity could only raise a person up so much. Kaoru was the one who brought him here, and he had a good time, but he had never checked in with the guy. His observation and friend skills could still use some more work.

“Mikejima. Tell me next time if you’re uncomfortable, okay? I know I might seem like it, but I’m not _actually_ a host,” he smiled, hoping it would be good enough.

“...there really was no problem! I did have a good time with you even if you don't believe me. You’re a good kid, Kaoru-san.”

For all this quick soul searching Kaoru was doing, Madara still just didn’t get it.

“That’s what compromise is. You can’t be happy like that.”

He had been asking the wrong question the entire time. What was more pressing than what Madara was to him was if Kaoru _wanted_ to be his friend. Kaoru knew what the answer was when Madara wouldn’t make eye contact with him.

Kaoru did understand why he wouldn’t answer or look his way. Madara didn't think he would, but Kaoru could care less. He was mad. He was offended. Frustratingly, he was concerned.

"Mikejima-kun? We're friends, right?"

Madara hummed inquisitively.

“Haha. You’re kind of shitty, you know that?”

“Surprisingly, I haven’t gotten that much, Kaoru-san! I can understand where you’re coming from, though. It’s too bad you think that.”

“I’m more sorry you won’t give me a chance. Guess it’s karma after all these years for being frivolous with my attention, huh.~ I have another game for you if you’re willing to play, though.”

“You’re still interested in playing a game with big bad old me?”

“Not if you talk like that, idiot. My turn has already passed in game; I gave you a chance. Now it’s your turn. I wonder if I’m the bigger person already, hehe.~ Either way...I think I’ll win something out of it.”

Madara was giving him one more new face and it warmed Kaoru in a much different way, and the rocks were definitely more bubbly in his stomach now. The hand that went up to his own face and tapped, and the fidget of Madara’s feet had Kaoru laughing.

“I think I can do it if I have you cheering for me, Kaoru-san!”

**Author's Note:**

> THANK YOU FOR READING, I LOVE YOU! I am so excited for everyone's content in this project!


End file.
